As time goes on I find myself becoming more and more cross at the way that products I like keep disappearing. Not the everyday things like food and such where tastes change, seasonal suitability changes, costs force a rethink etc., they are annoying enough, but the occurrence in more durable items are especially frustrating and in most cases the alternatives if any are somehow disappointingly inadequate.
What do I mean? A few examples.
Mrs HGB and I were lucky years ago to be given a Villaware espresso machine as a ruby wedding present. It was brilliant, produced excellent drinks and there was a most satisfying involvement in driving the thing. A few months ago it went to join the choir invisible, but to my disgust I found no trace now of villaware or the machine so had to get a most unsatisfying alternative.. That's one.
Our wonderful old Zanussi washer/drier went pop and emitted pungent black smoke a couple of months ago. Think it was about 15 years old so it owed us nothing. Repair would have been problematic, time consuming, and if successful would have left us with a repaired 15 year old machine waiting for the next thing to break. The model is no longer made so had to settle for spending an arm and a leg on a modern machine. All very well and more programs, bells and whistles than soft Mick, but much less effective than the old one which had a 1600 spin (new is 1200 with 1400 extra speed selectable if you remember each time), very little control of temperature for those occasions when you really do want molten lava in there, and just generally a smug sort of "I'll decide" air about it. Also after just a few months it has now developed a fault in the LED displays. Great. That's another annoying forced switch of machine.
In clothing, the old green Regatta outdoors trousers were a favourite. Great pockets everywhere including many with zips, and a useful knee pocket. Wonderful given many of my current responsibilities for reasons I won't bore you with. Two pairs left and getting thin and with faded patches at the knees in both. They don't make 'em anymore. Ho Hum. Other manufacturers make similar things although without anything like as many pockets, but the killer is that although they offer blues various, black, beige, versions, none of them offer the greens which is what I actually want. Why ever not? That's three.
Bought some slippers for Mrs HGB soon after I started being the one that shops for stuff like that. Clarks, 'eskimo snow' in beige. Fur lined. Lovely and keep her feet warm, smart too although far from cheap. Loved 'em. When they got worn tatty, replaced with exact same slipper but in black. Just the job. When it came to replacing MiL's slippers had no hesitation in getting her some too, this time in wine red. Another satisfied customer. Couple of years on, Mrs HGBs are again getting a little careworn, but can I get replacements? Can I heck as like. Discontinued by Clarks it seems, with just a few wine red ones sizes 2 or 3 (!) left in a corner of their warehouse somewhere, no good at all. That's four.
Cars? Some of us old dinosaurs would like a CD player - I haven't an iPhone to link if I want a bit of the old music. And if I should get a puncture, I don't want an emergency repair and reinflation kit (assuming I could fathom out how to use the ruddy thing) I would prefer a spare wheel (a space saver would do) so jack up, swing the brace, wheel off, spare on and on my way.
Tellies? Most seem geared towards linking to a broadband internet connection to stream stuff these days. Why should I pay for something that has that facility which for us is totally unnecessary?
Apologies for the rant but I am starting to get paranoid - think there's someone up a tree with binoculars and any time they spot me apparently liking a product they ensure the manufacturers discontinue it! If they invent a time machine I'd hop back and stock up!
I'm reminded of the old NAAFI manager joke - "You're the twentieth person I've had to tell today - we aint got it cos there aint no call for it!"
Grrrrrr.
I've turned into my granddad.....